GRR-Ripper

Paul Gallian

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My Grr-ripper no longer grips.. the green pads are slick-hard looks like they have been varnished. Looking at the support area on the company web site- it says to clean with DNA and if that does not fix it then buy new legs. the leg kit is over $30.00 - does anyone have a better fix? I took one green pad and tried to lightly sand to rough up the surface-- did not work. Its too cold in the shop anyway and I am to lazy to build a fire in the wood stove.

I have googled the problem with no help!
 
If the DNA didn't work, try acetone, toluene, or MEK. All are flammable - or worse - so safety precautions apply!

I've been able to save - or at least prolong the life of - several rubber-based rollers and non-skid items using these. Typewriter repairmen (now a lost art, I fear) used to use Trichloroethane for softening the rollers, but that (highly toxic) stuff isn't readily available any more.
 
My Grr-ripper no longer grips.. the green pads are slick-hard looks like they have been varnished. Looking at the support area on the company web site- it says to clean with DNA and if that does not fix it then buy new legs. the leg kit is over $30.00 - does anyone have a better fix? I took one green pad and tried to lightly sand to rough up the surface-- did not work. Its too cold in the shop anyway and I am to lazy to build a fire in the wood stove.

I have googled the problem with no help!

Cold in the shop... did this problem get worse when the cold set in? Rubber gets harder and less grippy when it's cold. It may not be a dirt problem, it may be a physical problem. Bring it into the house overnight, then take it out to the shop for a test the next morning.
 
If the DNA trick fails you might be able to scrape the pad off and use something like a board deck pad for making replacement pad.
http://www.northshoreinc.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=28&idproduct=188
A fellow I know in hood river gifted me some for use as a gription surface on various shop jigs and it works really nice. "flat brushed" and "single density" with the "peal and stick" are what I think you want, each of those should be good for > 1 set of gripper pads.
 
These are good suggestions - I did try isopropyl alcohol and it did not help.. I will bring them in today because the cold is cold...
Thanks -- I did not or could not pop for the $30.00 right now..

paul
 
I've used old mouse pads before to provide a grip. Maybe you could find one of those to cut up and experiment with?
 
Hi,

When I was in Junior High School I worked in an office machine store. I repaired typewriters. When doing overhauls on typewriters we used DNA. With the platen (thing that the paper rolled around to be typed upon) we took Wet or Dry (don't remember grit) poured on some DNA and wrapped our hand around that and the platen and "sanded" away. The bail rollers (small rollers that kept paper pressure against the platen) we did essentially the same thing in miniature. The surfaces of these pieces had to have friction or the typing paper would not go through the machine properly.

It was amazing to me that a "hard-as-a-rock" platen could be turned into a platen that worked very well. Each year we serviced several hundred typewriters used in the local High School. I will tell you, after doing that process to several hundred platens, you would know you did something.

I was a very scrawny, wiry, small kid. Can't you just picture me carrying four typewriters at a time? A Royal hooked on each bony hip and the cross bar on an Underwood in each hand for each trip up or down the stairs (no elevators in the school buildings back then).

Ah yes, nostalgia.

Enjoy,

JimB
 
To Vaugn's point, Isopropyl Alcohol (IA) comes with varying amounts of oil: some are only 70% IA, some 91%, and some 99% IA. The 91% is readily available, the 99% not so much. I use the 91 or 99% for preparing arrow shafts for fletching & believe me, the amount of oil makes a dramatic difference with the fletching glue working, the 70% just doesn't allow the fletching to stick.

Back to your situation. If you used the 70% IP, then I suspect the oils in it are contributing to the lack of stickiness. Actually, I suspect it's adding a film of oil to the surface. The other industrial solvents, especially Acetone, or MEK, are very strong and very effective. However, when using these, I would urge you to use rubber gloves for protection. Otherwise, these solvents will remove the natural oils from the pores of your skin, making you vulnerable to infection. IA will too, but not as severely. Whenever I use the stronger solvents for cleaning materials, especially the arrow shafts, I immediately follow up with IA to remove any residul traces of the stronger solvent, and let the IP evaporate to dry.

Just my .02. ;)
 
I've used old mouse pads before to provide a grip. Maybe you could find one of those to cut up and experiment with?

Brent, that is BRILLIANT!!!!!

I have push pads on my to-do list & was looking for some rubber to use. Now that I've read your recommendation, I just pulled a mouse pad (1/16" x 7 1/2" x 8") that I'd received with my Chief Architect software years ago, intending to use it replace the old pad that I'm still using. Not any more! It just got promoted to become a push pad (actually 2 pads). Now how good? Love it when a great idea achieves fruition.

Did I say this was a Great idea!!!!!

 
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Very cool. I used to have a big pile of them from work. The neoprene kind. I use them for all kinds of stuff.
 
The foam type mouse pads make great vise jaw padding for holding delicate or not square items. I just glued a strip of wood to the edge of each one---to keep them from falling down through when the vise is loosened.

Those vise pads with a piece of chamois (or similar) laid over them is a great way to hold something with a finish you do not want to mar.

Enjoy,

JimB
 
The foam type mouse pads make great vise jaw padding for holding delicate or not square items. I just glued a strip of wood to the edge of each one---to keep them from falling down through when the vise is loosened.

Those vise pads with a piece of chamois (or similar) laid over them is a great way to hold something with a finish you do not want to mar.

Enjoy,

JimB

Another great idea!
 
Excellent sharing there Brent. Thanks!

For $7 at the BORG you can get some Plasti-Dip. I was doing some clamp handles the other day and for kicks, treated my decaying jointer pads. They came out great and grip better than when new. I just brushed it on with a disposable acid brush.
 
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